FAQ’s

What makes you different?

Design-Build is our niche; some of our very best work happens long before the sawdust starts to fly. Our systems, creative design solutions and absolute high construction practices truly make the difference.

The Design Service Agreement (DSA) is our system to guide our clients from the very early idea stages until the construction contract is signed. Our goal is to work as a team to shape a project that meets your needs, honors the design and respects the investment.

With planning complete, we transition to our Production Team, which again utilizes a set of trusted systems and procedures for leading the project from groundbreaking to client move-in. We do understand hiccups along the way; our systems and commitment to “doing things right” help navigate and keep your project on track.

SRCI Design-Build is a systems-driven organization with abundant creativity and high standards, which sets us apart from many other builders in our area. We strive for highest satisfaction.

What type of projects do you build?

We have structured our company to be experts at executing large-scale whole house remodels, addition projects and custom home building, often in challenging conditions. That said, we select projects based on numerous factors that allow us to be successful and deliver excellent results for our clients.

We first try to identify a philosophy fit. It’s important potential clients believe in our Design-Build and Design Service Agreement process. Once we establish a philosophy fit, we analyze the location of the project to determine if we are able to expertly service that location; for our high service model to be effective, we must keep our superintendents working in a tight geographic radius allowing them to spend less time on the road and more time at the project sites. Lastly, we analyze the project scope to determine if it maps well with our company’s strengths and the strengths of our subcontractors and suppliers.

If we mutually determine we are not a good fit for one another, we will refer you to our local builders association for other potential contractors.

How much will it cost per square foot?

This is, quite simply, the most difficult question to answer in the realm of remodeling and custom home building. The short answer is – we have no idea. Until a thorough understanding of the project scope, design, priority selection items and existing conditions are established, any guess at project costs per square foot terms is truly a shot in the dark. That said, we have a long list of projects completed over the years of all shapes and sizes, and we track our historical project costs. Using past projects as a guide, we can help clients establish an investment range that makes sense. The only way to truly know a cost estimate is to engage in our Design Service Agreement process.

How is the construction contract structured?

Our typical Construction Contract is structured at “cost plus percentage.” We do not bid projects due to the variables in construction, specifically remodel projects (see How Much per Square Foot above). During the Design Service Agreement process, we are happy to provide a draft contract for review. Billings (or draws) will be presented throughout the project with meticulous record keeping.

How quickly can we start construction?

Project start dates are based on two factors – first, the successful completion of our Design Service Agreement (DSA) process. One of the deliverables from the DSA is a detailed Scope of Work that considers the milestones that must be reached before we break ground such as permits and long lead order items. The second factor is staffing. We monitor our project manager and superintendent staffing very closely and we are reluctant to overburden our team, which could result in a lower level of service for our clients currently in construction and those just starting. At times, we may ask our clients to allow a small time gap between the end of the DSA and the beginning of Construction so that we can properly staff the project. Stretching our project management resources too thin will ultimately put a project at risk. Once construction begins, it’s important to note that we, for the same reasons stated above, would not pull resources from your in-progress project to satisfy some new surge in business.

Why Does remodeling cost more than building new?

Several reasons:

Demolition and haul off takes time and costs money as well as unexpected variables that may be uncovered during the demolition process.

Tying in to old work is more labor-intensive and requires more skill than installing new work.

In new construction, the costs of big ticket items like plumbing, electrical and HVAC are averaged over the square footage of the entire house. When a home is being remodeled, that same work is often averaged over a very small fraction of the square footage, increasing cost per square foot up considerably.

Remodeling is management intensive. Successful remodeling is all about managing and mitigating risk. To do so effectively requires more time on the project site, which drives up project management costs. It also requires a more skilled project manager and superintendent.

Remodeling homes requires a slightly different subcontractor trade base. These subcontractors are harder to find, have more experience, are more talented and cost more than their new construction counterparts.

Do you self perform the work?

We’ve built our business on the premise that we let experts be experts. We are not the best tile setters in the Hill Country nor are we the best cabinet builders but we know who is and we’ve forged alliances with the trade partners over many years. We do have our in-house crews for carpentry, drywall and paint. We evaluate our in-house crews and subcontractors across a range of requirements – from construction quality to financial stability, from scheduling to cleanliness. We utilize these subcontractors that we can trust, offering a balance of value and quality work. Our in-house crews and subcontractors are under our schedule control allowing projects to run smoothly and on-time. We bring these relationships to the table for our clients because we want the absolute best team of craftsmen working on your home.

Can i provide my own fixtures?

Almost every product in a home is integrated with some surrounding product. For example, in a kitchen the cabinet, sink, faucet and countertop come together into one work assembly. Synchronizing all these moving pieces is key to our success; therefore, order accuracy, timeliness and quality delivery are critical to our system. To control our results, it is imperative that we control our supply chain. We have developed very smooth processes and procedures with our selected suppliers to facilitate everything from order to install.

As such, we discourage our clients from deviating from our system specifically designed to minimize surprises and risk. For example, if a client orders the kitchen fixture package from an online retailer and it arrives incorrect, broken, or two weeks late, we are set back. If we order a kitchen package from our suppliers and there is problem, it will be remedied immediately because our controlled relationship with the supplier. Our ordered products are also covered under our warranty.

With that said, for example, if a client has a family heirloom light fixture for above the entryway, we will work with our electrician to install and make it a show piece. Our team at SRCI Design-Build includes a full-time Selection Manager to assist our clients with showroom visits, product information, finish options and ordering.

Are you licensed and insured?

Even though the state of Texas does not require General Construction contractors to be licensed, we voluntarily seek out training in the industry, staying abreast of construction practices. Our mechanical subcontractors including electricians, plumbers and HVAC, do require licenses and are up to date.

SRCI Design Build carries General Liability insurance and at client’s request, we will implement a Build’s Risk policy.